Safari - New for 2018

[undi]

How to send  photos?

[sbell]

Looking at the blurry Poleroids, and the 'hints' Poleroids, the following still need to be revealed:

scorpion
spiny lobster
owl (with ear tufts, so it's not the barn owl GLM)
marmot
Hyaenodon/thylacine-looking thing
tiger-striped sauropod
falcon/hawk (African species, apparently)
possibly two cartilaginous fish (based on suspect fins)
koala (or something with an ear like a koala)
plus others not hinted at (any more TOOBs?)

Man, I hope so. Three of the four Toobs they've revealed so far are fantasy themed.

The worst part is that they are playing really close to the chest right now--no retailer lists, nothing. Which is great for secrecy I guess...but a real pain when planning orders when it involves a long drive and a visit through customs'. That's usually something you only want to do once!

[Halichoeres]

Big new reveal today! Photos added to first page. Kind of a lean year for Toobs, but some really nice chondrichthyans in the Sea Life series, cool fish in the GLM series, and a couple of nice arthropods in the Incredible Creatures series.

[stargatedalek]

12 and 1/2 inches, looks like the AAA spiny lobster has been dethroned!

[bmathison1972]

Big new reveal today! Photos added to first page. Kind of a lean year for Toobs, but some really nice chondrichthyans in the Sea Life series, cool fish in the GLM series, and a couple of nice arthropods in the Incredible Creatures series.

That spiny lobster is freaking awesome, but the scorpion is a repaint of the old HK one. I might get it if it's not bendy like the old one.
Really nice birds, that owl is really nice.

[Rossano]

I really like the three new sharks!

If they will show well made in the real as it is the Safari nurse shark I have, they will be great models. Looking forward to see the in real.

[bmathison1972]

Now that Safari, CollectA, Bullyland, and Schleich have their 2018 lineups, I think for a second year in a row Safari is the overall winner taking into account diversity and appearance. It's funny, a few years ago I felt it was the opposite, with CollectA leading the way (CollectA might be in a transitional state; we will get a better idea of where they are going a year from now when 2019 is revealed...), but Safari has stepped it up in recent years.

Take this year's IC line: mammal, bird, fish, amphibian, reptile, arthropod (2 of the last one!). Every major higher taxon represented! I have noticed Safari has fused some of their lines, and that what's left of the Hidden Kingdom Insects line is now merged with the IC line. This could be to my benefit, as if they continue like they did this year with at least one figure from each broad group, I could see more of my focus group

Now, don't get me wrong, every year Safari puts out multiple gems, I just feel like 2017 and 2018 are taking these further than recent years.

Now I understand my focus group is probably the least popular, and I don't expect companies to put them out every year, but when you consider insects are the largest class of animals, and arthropods the largest phylum (in the old hierarchy), in the entire history of the IC line there has been one insect and no arachnids (before 2018, and the 2018 arachnid will be the same sculpt as an old HK figure). There have been a small handful of crustaceans/horseshoe crab, but only 1 insect/arachnid.

[sbell]

Now that Safari, CollectA, Bullyland, and Schleich have their 2018 lineups, I think for a second year in a row Safari is the overall winner taking into account diversity and appearance. It's funny, a few years ago I felt it was the opposite, with CollectA leading the way (CollectA might be in a transitional state; we will get a better idea of where they are going a year from now when 2019 is revealed...), but Safari has stepped it up in recent years.

Take this year's IC line: mammal, bird, fish, amphibian, reptile, arthropod (2 of the last one!). Every major higher taxon represented! I have noticed Safari has fused some of their lines, and that what's left of the Hidden Kingdom Insects line is now merged with the IC line. This could be to my benefit, as if they continue like they did this year with at least one figure from each broad group, I could see more of my focus group

Now, don't get me wrong, every year Safari puts out multiple gems, I just feel like 2017 and 2018 are taking these further than recent years.

Now I understand my focus group is probably the least popular, and I don't expect companies to put them out every year, but when you consider insects are the largest class of animals, and arthropods the largest phylum (in the old hierarchy), in the entire history of the IC line there has been one insect and no arachnids (before 2018, and the 2018 arachnid will be the same sculpt as an old HK figure). There have been a small handful of crustaceans/horseshoe crab, but only 1 insect/arachnid.

I will have to afree, but with the caveat that, as always, eveyone ignores freshwater organisms almost entirely. And this year is no different. Which is why Replica Toy Fish's new line needs to get themsleves going properly!

Also...at least Safari keeps their horses to a small part of their overall line...they are the only one that does anymore. (Of the companies that matter).

[bmathison1972]

I will have to afree, but with the caveat that, as always, eveyone ignores freshwater organisms almost entirely. And this year is no different. Which is why Replica Toy Fish's new line needs to get themsleves going properly!

Also...at least Safari keeps their horses to a small part of their overall line...they are the only one that does anymore. (Of the companies that matter).

Yes, even when there are non-chondrichthyan fish, they are still most-likely marine. I have always been much more fascinated with freshwater fauna than marine. When I was a general animal toy collector years ago, before specializing in buggies, I also wished for more freshwater fish.

[stargatedalek]

I have to agree, frankly I feel this has been a particularly weak year for CollectA and Schleich.

Both have broken new ground with their extinct lines (CollectA into Paleozoic and Schleich... into something worth buying?), so I can't really comment there except that there's nothing this year that particularly interests me specifically.

But both of them have nothing but mammals in their extant lines this year. Schleich doesn't even have some overpriced giant scenery pack with a few new small sculpts.

Safari has definitely been getting at least more consistent in their diversity, a few years ago it was "maybe they'll have a fish or an invert this year" and now they have one of each nearly every year, sometimes several. And they've always been the only one of the large brands to have a consistent flow of reptiles and thankfully that hasn't slowed down either.

Papo had an unusually diverse year (for them) last year, so let's hope we get something interesting from them again.

As much distaste as I have for horse spam I suppose I can see the appeal, if this was every company producing dozens of domestic pigeon morphs every year I'd be ecstatic.

[OkapiBoy]

The only mammals/extant animals from Safari I will be getting this year, the others are easy pass for me
[]

[Rossano]

Love the Porpoise and the Mastodon, also from these real photos.

The Musk ox looks even a bit better here than the official shot, but I am waiting to see in real the Collecta's one.

Przewalski's horse is a nice model too, but I prefer other ones.

Rhino and hyppo, plain ugly. The rhino, too small too.

[brontodocus]

Actually, I have to say I quite like the Bernie figure, but I've always been fond of Safari Ltd...
I have to agree, the Pygmy Hippopotamus and Sumatran Rhino are not particularly aesthetically pleasing, but I'll get them, nonetheless. And the Babirusa, of course... I like the Muskox - and I still only have the muskoxes by Noah's Pals... I will also continue getting all releases of the Wildlife Wonders (a few years ago I have already decided I'd get all of the series) even if the Jaguar is the third release of the same sculpt, however, it's apparently the best of them, yet. I wonder how large the WW Bison will be... Of the Wings of the World series I will at least get the Asio otus... Wow, and the IC line has some great new additions like the Antennarius and this awesome looking spiny lobster, but the Corn Snake looks excellent, too. While I'm happy they'll release a Przewalski's Horse and I'll definitely get one, I think it looks a bit, well, geometric? I will also get all the new Sea Life figures. I know, the paint on the Leopard Seal looks a bit strange but I always favour sculpt over paint job...

Yes, Safari Ltd will make 2018 another expensive year for me, and we haven't even talked about their prehistoric ones... On the other hand, I'll have to check but I have the feeling that 2017 had even more figures I desired (and bought).

[bmathison1972]

Actually, I have to say I quite like the Bernie figure, but I've always been fond of Safari Ltd...
I have to agree, the Pygmy Hippopotamus and Sumatran Rhino are not particularly aesthetically pleasing, but I'll get them, nonetheless. And the Babirusa, of course... I like the Muskox - and I still only have the muskoxes by Noah's Pals... I will also continue getting all releases of the Wildlife Wonders (a few years ago I have already decided I'd get all of the series) even if the Jaguar is the third release of the same sculpt, however, it's apparently the best of them, yet. I wonder how large the WW Bison will be... Of the Wings of the World series I will at least get the Asio otus... Wow, and the IC line has some great new additions like the Antennarius and this awesome looking spiny lobster, but the Corn Snake looks excellent, too. While I'm happy they'll release a Przewalski's Horse and I'll definitely get one, I think it looks a bit, well, geometric? I will also get all the new Sea Life figures. I know, the paint on the Leopard Seal looks a bit strange but I always favour sculpt over paint job...

Yes, Safari Ltd will make 2018 another expensive year for me, and we haven't even talked about their prehistoric ones... On the other hand, I'll have to check but I have the feeling that 2017 had even more figures I desired (and bought).

yes this is two great years in a row for Safari!

[sbell]

After all this time, I only just noticed that the Manta on page one is labelled Manta sp. The Safari site actually declares it to definitively be the 'Giant Ocean Manta', Manta birsotris (as opposed to Manta alfredi).

Which, based on articles from the summer, might be changed to Mobula birostris due to DNA analysis. At least Safari got ahead of the curve on the species differentiations!

[brontodocus]

After all this time, I only just noticed that the Manta on page one is labelled Manta sp. The Safari site actually declares it to definitively be the 'Giant Ocean Manta', Manta birsotris (as opposed to Manta alfredi).

Which, based on articles from the summer, might be changed to Mobula birostris due to DNA analysis. At least Safari got ahead of the curve on the species differentiations!

Sean, now that you mention it - I've just checked fishbase, even alfredi is listed as a species of Mobula there. Wow, that's entirely new to me... http://www.fishbase.de/summary/65179

[Halichoeres]

Thanks, Sean, I didn't read the fine print. I only read the top part of the page that says "Scientific Name: Genus Manta". I'll fix that.

[DolphinsAreJerks]

Since I don't have a ton of money I'm starting my toy animal collection slow, and focusing on cetaceans. The vaquita was a must-have for me and I'm really happy with it!

[Rossano]

Since I don't have a ton of money I'm starting my toy animal collection slow, and focusing on cetaceans. The vaquita was a must-have for me and I'm really happy with it!

Yes, it is a must for me too, since I can't find any other porpoise from major brands. I ordered it and I hope it will be available in the shop soon.

[Stuckasaurus]

Does anybody have a comparison shot of the Sumatran rhino with any of Safari's others?

Also, how large are the Lemon Shark and Manta Ray? What scale are they?